In the Name of the Shadow

Races

The dominant races in our version of the Dragon Empire are humans, dwarves, elves, gnomes, half-elves, half-orcs, and halflings.

Due to the way 13th Age works, all race-class combinations are viable

Classes by ease of play

The barbarian is designed for the player who wants to roll dice and slay without worrying too much about the rules.

Like the barbarian, the ranger relies on base attacks augmented by class talents instead of a power list.

The paladin also relies on a short list of class talents instead of powers. Like the ranger, it can be slightly more complex if you choose its more involved talents.

The fighter is simple to play but asks you to make interesting choices between flexible attacks before and during combat.

The cleric is probably the easiest of the spellcasters. It requires a touch of patience.

The sorcerer is probably more complex than the cleric because of variant spells and the option to cast spells for double the effect in two rounds. Not a decision that new players may feel comfortable with.

The rogue can be more complex than other classes because you are tracking whether or not you have momentum, constantly disengaging, and trying to use your Sneak Attack damage effectively.

The bard has a variety of options that include battle cries, spells, and songs. Figuring out how to use these options in combat and during roleplaying is probably best for a confident
player.

The wizard is the most complex class if you choose all the options that allow improvisation and ad-libbing; without those free-form talents, it’s no more difficult than the sorcerer.